My name is Leo!

My name is Leo and I am a handsome 12lb Maltese mix. I am a handsome and sweet boy who loves to cuddle with you on the couch, chair, bed you just let me know where you want to cuddle I will be there. I get along great with children but I do currently live with dog savy children who know how to love me, leave me and to be gentle. The children are calm around me and pay attention to where I am while playing. I would be best placed in a home as an only dog I do get stressed out with other dogs and become dominant with them and since I am 10yrs old I do not need that added stress at this time in my life. I have not been tested with cats but since I finally got to meet dogs it is a no on a cat family or other pets.
I am an owner surrender who lived with my family for 5yrs before giving me up. I am fully vetted/Microchipped/Neutered/Heartworm neg
For more information and more photos see me see me on Facebook at:: https://www.facebook.com/TheFirstStepRescue
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I am housebroken but I will not last 7 plus hours home alone and I have had an occasional accident when it storms outside. I do not shed that we see but I do have a short coat at this time and this does not guarantee I am hypo-allergenic and I do require brushing and grooming as my hair will grow long and will mat up with no maintenance. I came to the rescue as an owners relinquish due to my family moving into a new home that does not allow pets. I was born 10yrs ago and during that time I had a family or two but at the age of 5yrs I ended up in a shelter with no home. My family had a 14yr old daughter who was very lonely and wanted company and decided a pup would be the perfect thing. Mom wasn't to keen on the idea but she agreed, they started looking for a pup, thankfully after searching different places including pet stores they opted to go to a shelter and saved a life. I was the lucky one, I was so excited I found a new family. I had a house with a yard and everything. The daughter was a little sad because I didn't know how to play fetch and wasn't a rompy kinda pup and slowly she lost interest in me, he life started to get busier and I faded into the background. I was a dog living a dogs life.. Years later something happened and my family had to move, my young Mommy was busy doing her thing, her Mommy was busy working and moving from one town to another so my days were getting longer and longer. I started to have accidents in the old house waiting for someone to come home and I wasn't allowed in the new house. They reached out to a rescue to take me in since I could no longer live with them so here I am.. They said they do not know how I am with other dogs because the only time I saw other dogs was at the vet, and I seemed to be okay, they also said boarding facilities said I was good with other dogs. My old family said I do not like to play with toys, I don't like treats, I am usually friendly and shy at times, I do not jump baby gates(I was kept in the kitchen in the new home to prevent any accidents on the carpet), I prefer softness to hard floors and the only time I was on the furniture was when I was being held. I have a great foster family to take care of me. I have had zero accidents in the house so far... so my potty issue could have been a time issue, us little pups can’t wait as long as large breed dogs without potty breaks. My Dad says I am very cute and loveable little one. I sleep with my Foster Mom and I love to play with the kids. My Dad says I didn't know what it was like to have kids loving on me, Oh and treats I love em~!! To go out and play or to sleep in a bed, I am acting like a 3yr old pup!! I am actually being treated as a family member and it feels so good!! I'm in heaven! I also ignore the barking neighbor’s dogs and just like to veg on the deck in the sun. My Foster Dad says I am a very active pup especially when you consider my age. I love to be right by my people, I love to sleep with my people, I get excited when the kids get up in the morning for my playtime with them. I am always very happy!! I don't care much for toys and I take my treats very gently. I love to lay in the sun and watch everything that is going on around me. I do not care about interacting with other dogs, I'll sit and look at them but that’s about it. I have had no accidents in the house since I got here. My Foster Dad says I am just one of the most lovable little ones he has ever seen.
***May 25th 2014 Update***
I got to stay at the rescues home for the weekend while my foster family was away and I was finally dog tested. The rescue has 4 small breed dogs and I did okay at first but then I would get all excited and become dominant with the other dogs. I have never been around other dogs my entire 10yrs so I do not know how to behave around them. So I was kept seperate from the dogs during my 2 day stay. They figured it wasn't worth stressing me out at this time. I am currently back in my foster home and now have a visitor, an Italian Greyhound staying with me so more updates to come on me and other dogs.
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Please ask if you have any questions
My adoption fee is $200 to cover the cost of my vetting and helps vet the next pup that needs rescue.
I am looking for my perfect home within 50 miles of Chicago Illinois an application and home visit a requirement
Our Adoption Process...
Adoption Application
Meet and Greet
Home visit
Adoption Contract
Adoption fee
*** Please be patient, we are a very small organization and we all sadly have to work and have families just like you. We also know the excitement of finding a pet that could be your furever family member and we receive numerous inquiries from other families who feel the same way. Our primary goal is matching the perfect family with our pups and do not practice first come, first serve. We are setting up many meet and greets with our pups and the family could be found prior to you even getting to meet them. We will make sure all potential adopters who inquired are updated if the pup has been adopted. We do not want to waste anyone's time and recommend you keep looking while you wait to hear from us and as always Thank You for adopting and not shopping. ***
Adoption applications will be sent via email only, we do not have them posted online anywhere or on a website.